Friday, April 06, 2007

SHOCK FINDING: SUGAR LOW IN FAT, HIGH IN SUGAR

Australian parents are calling on government and food manufacturers to restrict ‘fat free' claims on food labels to be used only on products which are low in kilojoules and sugar.

Results from a national survey released today by The Parents Jury revealed that 95 percent of parents surveyed felt that fat free claims on high sugar confectionery and snack foods are misleading.

Kathy Chapman, nutritionist from The Parents Jury said the survey also indicated that 65 percent of parents believed that ‘fat free' labelling on products encourages their children to over consume these foods.

So Australian children are sufficiently well-informed about nutrition to seek out "fat free" foods but are too dumb to realize that lollies and many snack foods are full of sugar. Duh, kids choose foods based on taste, not nutrition. And if 95 percent of parents are aware that "fat free" labeling is "misleading" that leaves only 5 percent who are being mislead; this group is probably too dumb to care.

Fran Hernon, the corporate affairs manager for Nestle Australia, which owns the Allens brand, said the company was not confusing parents. "It's common knowledge that lollies have sugar in them … Parents are concerned about artificial colourings and flavours, which is why we developed the Allen's Naturals range."

But Kathy Chapman, the Parents Jury's nutritionist, said although such claims by manufacturers were factually correct, they were misleading consumers. "Parents shouldn't have to have a nutrition degree to make a decision about what's a healthy food and what's not a healthy food for their children."

As if reading nutrition labels requires anything other than an elementary level understanding of language and maths. What Australia doesn't need is busybodies wanting the government to assume responsibility for our diets.